"Alright! It's closing time I'm afraid!" Ark yelled over the noise of literature fanatics. "We're sold out of The Mythic Stone trilogy and Breathless Passion series and their latest instalments! Come back in a couple of weeks' time for our restock and signing from the authors on respective days, updates on the specifics will be put on display as soon as possible."
There was a collective moan and people began to filter out. A few lingered on who had not been interested in buying the all popular new releases but just to look for a new read. The employees breathed out audibly as the final one trudged out of the door with a cheery goodbye.
"Come back soon!" Vivi called after them cheerfully, she seemed to have an unlimited good mood to hand out.
"Please don't…" April muttered after her, who evidently did not have any happiness to share. April was Cheerios, Kat had been able to read her name tag once the crowd had begun to dissipate. The second tall guy was Zeck. He was a gentle giant with the same temperament as Vivi but taller than seven foot and strong as an ox. His silver hair was short and spiked up and his bright blue eyes sparkled with energy despite the hours on end of shouting, battling crowds and carrying mountains of books he had just done. Ark yawned and leaned down behind the counter.
"Good work, you can go, we'll clear up tomorrow." He sighed and pulled up a bottle of wine.
Kat blinked in disbelief as he casually poured himself a glass of wine. Laxes tutted in disgust but the others did not seem fazed by it. They just stretched and trudged slowly back to the locker rooms. Kat did not follow but took the time to look around the book shop properly, or that floor of it at least. The ground floor was a spacious multilevel room lined with shelves across every wall apart from the front display. The floor was a darkish wood covered in paper and wrapping from the evening's rampage. Around the right corner at the back was a black railed spiral staircase up to the first floor that the boys had spent most of their time running up and down with the customers.
"Kat?" Malachi called from the staff door. "You coming?"
"Yeh, just a minute." She turned her head and nodded at him.
"Looks like you might be spending a lot of time here." Laxes commented. "Your colleagues seem nice, apart from that Jaden guy… I'd keep away from him."
"None the less, he seemed to know me well…" Kat murmured back, letting her guard slip.
"What was that?" Ark's dry gravelly voice caught her attention. "Too much work for you tonight? I should hire more people?"
"N-No, it was nothing." Kat shook her head quickly.
"Ah I see, you don't want your wages to be cut." He smirked. "It's true we could use a few extra hands, I'll get my kids to come and help next time. Amber was busy today and Jasper caught handle crowds so I didn't ask them today."
"Th-That's fine." Kat swallowed. "I'm sure there are more difficult things in life…"
"That's true." Ark finished his glass of wine and promptly poured himself another. "Very true…"
He seemed to be getting rather distant, sipping the deep red liquid steadily. A few minutes later he was pouring himself a third glass.
"Should you really be drinking that much..?" Kat asked cautiously.
"This?" Ark held up the glass. "S not much at all. I'll get home fine if that's what you're worried about."
"O-Ok…" She nodded and hurried through the staff door.
In the girls' locker room April and Vivi were having an animated conversation about something she could not quite understand as of yet. Instead she concentrated on getting changed and wondering how on earth she was going to those books home that she was supposed to have read. April looked up for a moment.
"So what do you think?"
"Me?" Kat stared at her in confusion.
"Her and Zephaniah?" The blonde tilted her head to Vivi.
"Zephaniah..?"
"Zeck." April rolled her eyes. "You'd think you'd remember after spending your childhood with him.
Thinking about it hadn't Malachi mentioned a Zephaniah? So Zeck was a friend as well?! She looked over to Vivi thoughtfully. The blunette was uncharacteristically quiet and blushing furiously. Laxes giggled and nodded her head while Kat mulled it over in her head for a moment. They were very similar… They would probably make a very cute couple.
"Perfect." She replied decisively. "Have you asked him?"
"Kat!" Vivi squealed. "Don't go jumping the gun!"
"What?" She was even more confused. "…He's not that scary is he?"
"Well, no, but… Zeck is really shy about this type ok? I don't want to scare him away…" Vivienne murmured, hunching dreamily. "You know a lot about him don't you? What sorts of stuff does he like, apart from food and blue?"
"Uh, well…" Kat bit her lip, of course, she could not remember. "I'll… have to get back to you on that one."
April sniggered. "Sounds like your dream guy is as simple as he sounds, Vivienne."
Shouting from the boys' room distracted them. Standing up, the girls hurried out into the corridor. Just as April wrenched the door open, someone was shoved against the wall beside it, making Vivienne scream a little. Laxes swept out to take a better look. Jaden had Malachi pinned against the wall and was evidently trying to strangle the other boy. Zeck burst out of boys' room and tried to separate them.
"You bastard!" Jaden growled. "How dare you!"
"Let's not get too angry about this…" Zeck managed to rip Jaden from Malachi's throat. "You're scaring the girls."
Malachi bent double coughing raucously. Jaden snarled and wrestled in the bigger boy's impregnable grip. Kat bent down to Malachi in time to see him spit blood contemptuously. Her eyes widened and she put a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright?" She asked in concern.
"Fine…" He panted with a reassuring grimace. "Don't worry about me, I get into enough fights as it is…"
Kat bit her lip worriedly, not sure what to do. Catching her look, Malachi ruffled her hair with a throaty chuckle.
"Hey, it's me. I'll be fine." He smirked. "Are you ready to go, I'll walk you back just to prove I'm ok."
Blushing a little Kat nodded and stood up. Zeck was still holding Jaden back while April tried to calm him down. Vivienne watched helplessly from the side. The shop door slammed open and distracted every.
"Wha's going on?!" Ark roared, swaying unsteadily on his feet. "Wha's all-a noise abou'?!"
"H-He's drunk…" Vivienne swallowed nervously.
Jaden glanced at Ark, taken aback and stopped struggling. Zeck let go of him compliantly and looked up to their manager apprehensively. Malachi managed to get to his feet shakily.
"Well?!" The skinny, intoxicated man demanded.
"Malachi and I…" Jaden gritted his teeth. "Had a misunderstanding…"
"Righ' well you take I' ou'side nex time okay?!" Ark growled.
"I understand." Malachi nodded quickly.
The two boys exchanged shifty glances at each other before Malachi took Kat's arm and lead her back through the girls' room. Laxes followed quickly. Behind them the drunken yells of Ark and the consoling voices of April and Zeck floated from under the door. Malachi picked up her books as she struggled with her coat.
"What was that about?" She asked him hesitantly once they had got outside.
"…" Malachi looked down. "I'm sure you've worked out by now, Jaden likes you."
Kat coloured brightly.
"H-He was pretty clear about that before work." She admitted in embarrassment. "But how does that concern you?"
"How do you think that concerns me?!" Malachi's head snapped back up to gaze at her fiercely. "I don't care how many girls he can pick up with his face, there's one he just has to accept he can't steal!"
"I-I'm sorry!" She squeaked, blushing brighter. "I-I for…"
She swallowed before she could admit her amnesia again.
"It didn't occur to me." She corrected herself.
Malachi smiled ruefully and hefted the pile of books he was holding.
"Come here, would you walk a little nearer until we get to your house, seeing as my hands are full." He asked softly.
Swallowing, Kat nodded and shuffled closer to him. She remembered the hug he had given her beforehand and hunched a little. The tall punk's hair brushed her back as he walked beside her. Laxes smirk teasingly at her, floating backwards in front of them as they rounded the corner of her street. She tried her best not to glare warningly at the sprite and instead sent her cautionary thoughts.
"You've been quiet today." Malachi commented. "Usually you'd be moaning about the crowd today, Ark's drunkness and the fact that Ienzo once again neglected to turn up on a day where all of us were needed at the shop."
"I.." Kat froze.
"If you were unwell you should have just said." He glanced down at her sternly. "I could have marched up to that introvert's house and dragged him out into the sunshine."
"I'm not." She protested. "I guess I just… It was pretty loud today."
She did have a headache coming on from the day's events and trying to remember everything. And of course the current awkward situation.
"Usually you'd be singing along with Vivi." Malachi turned on her.
Before she had time to react he leaned forward and head-butted her. When she tried to step back, he shifted the books into one hand and grabbed her shoulder tightly.
"Wh-What are you doing?!" She cried.
"Checking if you have a fever." He replied, letting go of her and straightening up again. "I don't think so… But you should rest ok? No staying up late for projects, if you get in trouble with your profs I'll take responsibility."
She nodded swallowing audibly. Laxes laughed out loud.
"Aw, isn't he just the sweetest, most caring…"
'Be quiet sprite'
"Ok, ok, no need to get touchy…"
"Well, here we are, are you going to be alright with those?" Malachi looked down at the books.
"I'll be fine." She took them from him. "It's reading them that will be the problem."
"Just call if you need any help." He smiled.
She turned to go and found herself being held back again. She looked up at Malachi questioningly.
"What, no kiss goodbye?" He pouted teasingly.
Kat went bright red.
"Oh that's right, we're still going through our shy 'I'm not ill but I really am' stage." He folded his arms.
"I'm not ill!" She sighed.
"Don't worry, I'll do it for you." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek softly. "See you later."
Kat was speechless, and feeling rather faint. Even Laxes was a little taken aback. The sprite stared after Malachi as he walked away, dumbstruck, before looking back to Kat. She had found herself after a moment and was lugging the books inside the foyer. After a second, Laxes followed her silently.